Northern Ireland

Only 59% of Londoners have had their canines neutered

Only 59 percent of Londoners and 55 percent of dog owners in Scotland have had their canine companions neutered, reveals a national survey. The information has been released as part of National Pet Month (NPM) to remind people of the benefits of neutering their pets. The survey data, which was…

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Compulsory microchipping for dogs is only days away

On April 6 2016, microchipping becomes compulsory for all dogs in the UK. The change will have the biggest impact in Britain; chipping has been mandatory in Northern Ireland since 2012. Under the new rules, dogs’ keepers are responsible for having their pet microchipped and registered to an approved database by…

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Small business confidence at lowest level in three years

A new survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has shown small business confidence was at the lowest level since 2013 from the first quarter of this year. The fall is most noticeable in London and the East of England, but all regions of the UK have seen declines.…

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‘Hands Off’ campaign relaunched

The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association is re-launching its #handsoffmyhobby campaign as Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish voters go to the polls in May. This time, the trade association is asking businesses and hobbyists to ask their local politicians where they stand on the issue of exotic pets and proclaim their…

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BVA welcomes recommendations on animal welfare

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and BVA Northern Ireland Branch has welcomed the publication of DARD and the Department of Justice’s final report of the Review of the Implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the report’s 68 recommendations, including tougher sentencing for those convicted of…

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Watch out pets! Storm blows rabbit onto roof

A rabbit was rescued from the roof of a bungalow in Omagh, County Tyrone on Friday morning. Bumper was catapulted to the top of a care home when his hutch was blown over during Storm Gertrude. The local fire service rescued the pet, as the care home’s staff were unable to access the…

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PDSA offers free workshops for veterinary professionals

Vet charity, PDSA, is offering free workshops to help veterinary professionals deliver new welfare checks known as ‘PetWise MOTs’. The checks focus on the five welfare needs, as defined in the Animal Welfare Acts, and follow reports that public awareness of these needs has dwindled*. Richard Casey, PDSA Pet Well-being…

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ARE ALL DOGS READY FOR MICROCHIPPING?

Compulsory microchipping for dogs in England is only a year away. New regulations come into effect from April 6th 2016. From that point onwards, all dogs must be chipped by the time they are eight weeks old. Owners will also be required to register their pet with an approved database.…

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Pets at Home report shows we are a nation of Pet Fanatics!

We truly are a country of pet lovers. A new report conducted by Pets at Home, retailer of pet products and services, shows just how crazy we are about our fur (and feather and scaley) babies. 42% of pet owners say ‘I Love You’ to their pets at least twice a day 88% of…

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Fresh call to ban shock collars

The Kennel Club is urging the government to take action following two different research studies which found conclusive proof that electric shock collars do not deliver the promises the manufacturers claim. Research funded by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) found that use of electric shock collars…

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